Maj. Gen. James Post allegedly told lower-ranking officers that talking to members of Congress about the A-10 aircraft was equivalent to treason

The Air Force is probing allegations that a Major General told lower-ranking officers that talking to members of Congress about the capabilities of the A-10 attack aircraft is equivalent to treason.

The alleged comment by Maj. Gen. James Post, a prominent leader at the prestigious Air Combat Command, has stirred concern in Congress about the Air Force muzzling officers in violation of their legal rights.

'This is very serious, to accuse people of treason for communicating with Congress,' New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte told General Mark Welsh, the Air Force chief of staff, who testified on Wednesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Post is reported to have said the remarks to Air Force officers attending a recent weapons and tactics conference in Nevada.

He allegedly said that it is their duty to support the service's budget priorities by refraining from offering opinions inconsistent with those priorities.

Air Force leaders have proposed retiring the A-10 fleet but Congress has refused, and some inside the Air Force have sided with Congress.

Post's alleged comments were first reported by Tony Carr, a retired Air Force officer who writes a blog called 'John Q. Public.'

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Carr said he learned of Post's comments from a number of officers who were in the audience at the time Post spoke.

He said Post prefaced his remark in the closed-door conference by saying, 'If anyone accuses me of saying this, I will deny it'.

Air Force leaders have proposed retiring the A-10 fleet but Congress has refused, and some inside the Air Force have sided with Congress (file photo)

Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh III (pictured) testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday as the Air Force investigates allegations that Major General James Post

Post then added: 'Anyone who is passing information to Congress about A-10 capabilities is committing treason.'

'These comments can be seen as nothing less than an attempt to intimidate subordinates into refraining from exercising their rights to free expression and civic participation,' Carr wrote.

The Air Force has not disputed that Post made the comment as reported.

New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte said she was concerned that the Air Force is trying to find out which officers talked to Congress about the A-10

'We are aware of the concerns surrounding the alleged remarks made by General Post,' said Captain Andrew Schrag, a spokesman for Air Combat Command, who is in charge of the service's combat aircraft.

'We take this matter very seriously and are fully cooperating with the Secretary of the Air Force Inspector General's investigation,' he added.

Another Air Force spokesman, Maj. Colin Hughes, said the Air Force investigation began January 22.

In his remarks on Wednesday, Welsh said the Defense Department is overseeing an investigation of the matter by the Air Force inspector general.

He added that he had personally intervened by calling Post after seeing a news report about his alleged comment.

Pressed on the matter by Ayotte, Welsh said he found it 'not at all' acceptable for a general to make such a comment.

'I support any airman's right to discuss anything that you would like to discuss with them and to give you their honest opinion,' Welsh said.

'In this particular case, with the investigation ongoing, my job is to wait until the facts are known,' he added.

'It worries me about the climate and the tone that set if members — airmen, airwomen — are told that they would be committing treason for communicating with us,' Ayotte said.

Ayotte said she was concerned that the Air Force is quietly trying to find out which officers talked to Congress about the A-10.

Welsh said he was unaware of any such internal investigation.

'I would be astonished by that,' he said, adding, 'I would not condone it.'

A-10: THE WARTHOG CAUGHT BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE AIR FORCE

It is the ugliest aircraft in the Air Force's arsenal.

The A-10, often called a warthog, was designed to destroy Soviet tanks and troops on the ground.

Officially the Thunderbolt II, it was quickly nicknamed the Warthog for its unusual looks,

It was specifically designed around its main weapon, a 30mm cannon which fires 4,000 rounds a minute.

The plane can fly low and slow, coming down to 50ft to shoot at or drop bombs on enemy positions.

Its top speed is just above 400mph but it can go as slow as 150mph and 'loiter' for hours above targets making it an effective deterrent as well as an attack plane.

The Warthog is covered in 1,200lbs of titanium armor, making it invulnerable to attack from anything but heavy weapons.

Even when hit it is designed to fly home on one engine, with no tailfin and half a wing missing.

On board the single-seater the pilot has at his controls the cannon, which is accurate to 4,000ft, and fires depleted-uranium shells, as well as Maverick air-to-surface missiles, 500lb free fall bombs, and Hydra air-launched rockets.

Despite USAF attempts to retire the fleet, it is expected to remain in service into the 2020s. At one stage when the Air Force suggested retiring its more than 300 A-10s the Army indicated it would take them over as soldiers are so keen on its close support capabilities.

Air Force leaders have proposed retiring the A-10 fleet but Congress has refused, and some inside the Air Force have sided with Congress